by #LizPublika
“I make champions,” casually states Yury Gelman, the Ukrainian-born American Olympic fencing coach who has, indeed trained athletes who have gone on to win medals at the prestigious games. Gelman, who comes across as easygoing and effortlessly honest on the phone, doesn’t have an air of superiority or a high maintenance demeanor, but he knows what he’s good at and is not afraid to put it simply and bluntly. It’s hard not to like him immediately.
Gelman was born in 1955, on October 13th, in Ukraine’s Kyiv, which — at the time — was part of the former Soviet Union. It was an era during which sports activity was seen as a requirement for both the health of the individual and the community at large. Because of that, most sports clubs were free for citizens to try out and continue in. So Gelman did. Being lucky enough to live next to several sports centers that offered different activities, he enrolled in quite a few.
One of these was fencing. The proximity of the fencing school coupled with the fact that Gelman genuinely enjoyed it made him commit to the sport. He fenced throughout high school, his military service, and in college — following up with a Master’s in physical education and coaching of fencing. Realizing that the coaches of his youth didn’t pass on some of the more crucial knowledge he’d require to achieve notable success, Yury decided to provide it for others.
The young coach officially began his career at Piddubny Olympic College immediately after graduation. He also served as the coach of the Ukrainian Fencing Team from 1987 to 1991, at which point he decided to leave both posts and immigrate to the United States. Gelman first settled in Philadelphia and worked odd jobs. Soon, however, his stellar reputation as coach gave him opportunities of a lifetime.
Roughly a year and a half after moving to the United States, Gelman received a phone call, offering him a job at a fencing club in New York City, which he took. A few years later, in 1995, he got another break when he was offered the position of fencing coach at St. John’s University. There, he achieved notable success, which allowed him to open up the Manhattan Fencing Center in 2007. The rest, as they say, is history.
“His students won gold, silver and bronze at Cadet and Junior World Championships and countless medals in junior and senior World Cups, including individual and team Grand Prizes. He has prepared members of Cadet, Junior, and Senior National teams every year since 1995.” In fact, over the last 29 years, the U.S Fencing Hall Of Fame inductee, has prepared at least 33 students for the United States National Teams.
ARTpublika Magazine had the pleasure of speaking with the seven-time Olympic Coach (Sydney, Athens, Beijing, London, Rio, Tokyo, and now — Paris), U.S Fencing Hall Of Fame inductee, Head Fencing Coach for St. John’s University, and honorary coach of Ukraine.
How did you start in the sport?
I started fencing in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, when I was 10 or 11 years old. It was very close to my house. A coach came to our school to introduce fencing, so I fenced. I did a lot of other sports at the same time, but eventually fencing took over, and that’s how I started.
What was it about fencing that appealed to you?
It’s kind of like Chess, you know? In fencing you have to think — you have to overthink your opponent. You have to create [strategy,] so it’s not only a physical condition. For example, I tried boxing, and it was mostly [about the] technique and physical condition; someone who is weak has no chance against someone who is much stronger physically. And boxing is very tactical, you hit each other with your body power. In fencing, you have a weapon in your hands. So they’re different things. Maybe because I was very, very skinny when I was young — it took a long time for my body to develop — I was much more successful in fencing than at other things.
So you like the strategy?
I enjoy setting a trap and feeling like, OK, I’m a little bit better. He’s stronger, but I’m smarter. I like it. We have to find where we’re best, you know.
In Slavic cultures The Three Musketeers series is hugely popular, with the books as well as related shows and movies being part of pop culture. Did that have anything to do with you pursuing fencing?
We all loved the story. I read the book when I was very young, and I watched the movie. But when I started fencing it wasn’t because of this. Honestly, it was mainly because it was close to my house, a 2-minute walk. It was very convenient.
When you began to study, who did you study with?
It was in a very small school, in the basement of some building, but my teacher was actually a very good coach. A very good coach [who taught foil]. And I was with him for only two years, unfortunately. After he moved to a different school, a new teacher came, and I switched to saber.
What do you like better?
I like both. It’s about different techniques. They’re different sports — like jumping, running track, or field — you know? In fencing, we also have three very different weapons.
How are they different?
The rules are different, the shapes are different. In foil, [we have what’s] called a conventional weapon — [it’s a flexible sword with a blunt tip] — and we use it to target the body, not the arms or the legs or the head. We point touch, [meaning] poke, only. In épée, [we use a sword that has a stiffer blade and is the largest and heaviest sword involved in fencing]. We can target the whole body, but we’re also only poking. Sabre [is different. The weapon is used for] slashing with both the cutting edge and the back of the blade, so you can slash, hit, or poke the whole body. [The weapon is shorter than the foil or épée, and lighter than the later, so it’s physically easier to move swiftly and decisively. The blade is not as strong as others, so it’s more prone to breakage].
So is saber the most difficult?
Not difficult, but most dynamic, for sure. And for spectators, it’s probably the most interesting weapon to watch. There’s jumping and sort of like flying and all sorts of things, and in epee the fencers are kind of jumping in place. Because in epee there is very short timing when you can score the touch, because electrical machines score the touches and you have to be a little bit ahead of your opponent. And in saber, it’s much more tactical. Foil is very similar but slower, and has a smaller target, so it’s harder to put point-touch to the target, so they need more preparation than saber. In saber, almost everything is preset, premeditated, and that’s what the fencer is going for.
At what age did fencing become your sport of choice?
Around 14. That’s when I started taking the sport a little bit more seriously. I won a couple of Ukrainian championships, but never made it big because I was in this little school and was never told to switch to these bigger clubs, which I should have done. It’s how things worked out. But, you know, towards the end of school — we had 10 grades, not 12 — I decided to go into physical education and get my so-called Masters of Sport.
In my third year of college, I decided to be a coach, so I started coaching and definitely helped some of my friends. I made the decision to be a coach and that’s what I did. [Even before that,] when I went to the army, where I spent a year and a half — because I did sports, I went to a special division of the army for sport — I fenced and represented my region.
What made you start teaching? Was it a means to an end, or you needed to make some money, or was it passion?
It definitely wasn’t money, it was passion. I realized at the time — I was already 18/19 years old — that I would be a much better fencer if I had the right coach and, unfortunately, I didn’t have the right coach. My coach was a very nice person, but the knowledge and expertise about the sport was not very high. And I said, “OK, I will be a coach. I will try to learn as much as possible and I will try to create champions.”
I didn’t become champion, and I was always upset because I knew why. And the older I became and the more people I’ve met, the more I understood how a coach is supposed to be, and that my coach didn’t do everything a coach is supposed to do. So, I decided I’ll do this a different way.
So, to become the coach you didn’t have, what steps did you take?
The main thing that I think helped me was that when I traveled to national training camps, where our best athletes and coaches gathered, I watched, talked, and addressed questions to some of the best coaches in the world. And they helped me.
I was listening to them, writing things down, and trying to understand why and how they applied specific methodologies and techniques. And I did that for years. It was better than any university, to learn from the experts. It’s valuable when you find people who are willing to share things like this, because many coaches would prefer to keep their strategies a secret.
This sounds like the magicians society.
Yes, yes it does. It’s generally a small sport and because it’s very tactical and very technical, there are a lot of secrets. So when someone shares their experience and expertise, it takes a shorter time to become a better coach. At that time, I needed guidance, and they gave it to me.
What is the most important lesson that you’ve learned about teaching others?
I would say that the most important lesson is about partnership and trust: you have to do everything for your student and your student must believe in you as a person and as a coach. And when your student sees you giving everything you’ve got, then your student will do the same and reach for something great. I did everything for my students, and I think that’s the most important.
I mean, you definitely have to pick the right student, but I was very lucky. I was very lucky. I was working with high level people almost right from the beginning.
You coached in the Soviet Union from 1977 to 1991? And you were the coach for the Ukrainian fencing team from 1987 to 1991, so about four years?
Yeah, that sounds about right. I left in 1991.
Where in America did you move to?
Philadelphia. My sister was there, so she set us up with an apartment. I moved to New York in the spring of 1993. But in October of 1992, I was offered a job at the New York Fencing Club, so I had to commute.
And you started your job at St. John’s University in 1995?
Yeah at the fencer’s club. At that time, Eric Rosenberg was chairman of the fencer’s club and he brought me over to St John’s, showed them my resume, and they took me.
How did you feel about teaching in the United States?
It is very different from the Soviet Union. There, everyone was very serious, [because the] system was different. [It involved] a selection process for entering special [training] schools for high level athletes. [Because of that,] very strong athletes were coming to me, whose only goal was to win medals. People were much tougher and more serious about sport than here.
Here, the majority of people are entering sports for fun — their main goal is to participate, not to win. And, before, almost no one cared about winning or even making it to the Olympics, they cared only about making it to American competitions, since each team was going to the Olympics automatically and that was enough. Now, it has changed.
So, the first thing I try to do is to change this psychology: don’t just travel to the Olympics, aim to win. It took a couple of years, but people finally started to show better results. It definitely started with juniors, and later on with the seniors. We changed it. In the United States, no one really prepares fencing coaches, but with coaches from other places, we did it. There is no sports university here, like in Europe. It doesn’t exist. The Physical Education Degree you get here prepares you to teach in high school or college.
Can you walk us through a lesson for beginners and then for someone who may attend your classes at St John?
For beginners, we normally [start by giving] an introduction to the sport; we explain the starting position, I introduce the weapons and targets, and it’s very important to show the basic footwork. Coordination is one of the most important skills for beginners. For more experienced fencers, it’s completely different. We work on the technical parts and try to improve what needs to be improved. But most of our time is spent on tactical training with all of our different models, and on how and what to do when facing different opponents. Lately, fencing has become much more physical than it used to be. So, you need to have a very strong body, especially the legs and the back to prevent injury. In saber, it’s mostly about your legs because of the footwork involved.
If you look at modern fencers, most of the best fencers are tall and physically strong. But the most important thing for a fencer is a good head. It’s not just about the thinking, but about the ability to deal with pressure in stressful situations. That is the most important thing when you’re at a high level. On a high level, the technical aspect is mastered by all, but who can make the right decision under pressure will win.
Can you tell me a little bit about the first Olympic games you attended as a coach in 2000?
Of course. I went there with Akhnaten Spencer-El (Asa Spencer), who is now the head coach of the men’s saber team. He was one of my first students who started showing high results; he was the #1 junior fencer in the world for a certain period of time. He made the Olympic team in 2000. He was pretty young, but unfortunately those were his only Olympic games, unfortunately it didn’t work out.
When you watch your students compete, how do you feel?
I analyze if they are doing the right things. When they win, I am very happy and proud of them. Then, I kind of understand that everything is going in the right direction. If they are not doing well, I try to understand why and what’s wrong; are they making mistakes or are their opponents doing better for other reasons. Basically, I’m watching and analyzing what happens.
Do you take their failures personally?
Yes and no. I always try to think about why they are not doing well, if it’s my fault or not. It’s not good to blame the athletes or myself; after competitions, we all sit down together and try to figure out what went on, why something happened. If we need something to change we change it.
In the years that you’ve coached fencing, how has your coaching style evolved?
The main thing is that I’m much softer than I used to be. I came from a very different system, there you had to be tough. There, the coach was a God. Here it’s completely different, the coach is no one. Everything is about the athlete.
Is that a bad thing or a good thing, in your opinion?
Honestly, it’s wrong. It’s supposed to be in between. Coaches and athletes must be equal, that would be the best.
The Olympic committee doesn’t recognize coaches. I will go to my 7th Olympic Games in Paris and I cannot go to the Team USA House, because they don’t count me as an Olympian. It’s ridiculous to me. The American system is not fair. They never announce the coaches’ names alongside the athletes’ names. Everywhere in Europe, when athletes win competitions they announce the champion and their coach. But that’s not the case here. And athletes win prize money, which is a standard practice everywhere in the world, with coaches [also receiving prize money or half the sum], but in the United States the coaches get zero. So the coach doesn’t have any respect here. I have friends who coach different sports, and they are all disappointed by this practice in the United States.
You started your Manhattan fencing center in 2007, what inspired you to do that?
I worked at the fencer’s club and everything was very good, until the administration changed and new people came along and created new rules. Before, the coaches were coaching a bit more independently and came up with their own programs. So, when they started telling me things that I didn’t like, I decided, OK I have to open a new club. It was a difficult and very expensive decision. I had to borrow money from my friends and relatives to do it. But with students I got lucky, the majority of my students moved with me, so I didn’t have to start from zero. And I got to create the programs [to align with] how I think they should be and so far it’s been working. Every year we prepare people for national teams, not only Americans, we have people from different countries. We have one person for the US team, but we have another person who will go fence for Argentina.
Do you like teaching foreign students?
Yes, absolutely! I really don’t care where the students are from. It doesn’t matter. To me, only one thing matters, that you’re a good person. If you’re a good person, I will teach you. There’s supposed to be chemistry between the coach and the student, not love, but chemistry. So If I feel you and you feel me and we trust each other, then we can work together. If we don’t have that, we can’t work together.
What is your favorite thing about fencing when you do it?
My favorite thing is setting traps. I really like to feel that I made a good tactical decision. So when I feel that my decision was better than my opponents, I always enjoy it. And I teach my students to enjoy it. Unlike team sports, you have more control over the traps you set because you don’t have to rely on other people to set them.
Before, it used to be a lot more interesting. Now the game has become so physical, the physical condition is overpowering the strategy component. So you can make a great tactical decision, but someone can still overpower you and win. I don’t like that, because it’s not fencing, which is an intellectual sport. My teacher explained this sport to me like it was the 18th or 17th century, you know? Not like it is now.
Out of the Olympic events that you’ve gotten to participate in to date, which were your favorite?
Probably in 2008, when Keeth Smart helped win the Silver medal in team saber, and we were affirmed that we were doing the right things. Well, Keeth Smart didn’t do what I told him to do in the last bout, but he still did really really well. So, we won the silver medal because of him. So, 2008 was the most successful, I would say. So, probably that game and the one in 2004, where we took fourth place; the referring was not very fair, but it happened this way.
In 2016, the result was even better because I had Daryl Homer, who won an individual silver medal, and the women's team, which won the bronze medal. So it was even more successful, but 2008 was the first time we won a medal in men’s saber. For me, as the coach, the most important thing was to know that we are going in the right direction and doing the right things.
Is it true that you were indicted into the fencing hall of fame in 2010?
Yes. It’s good, but I never pay attention to things like this. It’s not what I’m working for. It’s nice that it happened, but it doesn’t make a big difference.
What is your favorite thing about your job?
Probably to see my students winning.
Do you miss fencing?
No, I mean, I'm 68. I understand how to fence but I know physically I cannot do this. I put myself in the right place. I know I cannot do this, but I can still get a point touch, even against my best students.
Note* In the 2001 Junior World Championships, Gelman's students Ivan Lee and Tim Hagamen were the first to bring a gold medal to the United States. The US National Team, under Gelman's leadership, won the 2001 Gdansk Junior World Championships, the 2004 team Grand Prize, 4th Place at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, 5th place at the 2005 Leipzicg Senior World Championship, and the silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics (Keeth Smart, Tim Morehouse, James Williams, and Jason Rogers). The U.S. Women's Sabre Team won a bronze medal (with Dagmara Wozniak and Monica Aksamit winning bronze medals in the Women's Sabre Team Competition, coached by Gelman). Daryl Homer won the Silver Medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. | Via https://redstormsports.com/staff-directory/yury-gelman/84